Improved machine for grinding needles



To allwhom 'it mag/(concern.-

i fromatl CLARE MARSH, CE BRIDGEPCET, CONNECTICUT, AssICNCE 'ro WHEELER & WILSON MANFAGTURINGCOMPANY, OF SAME PLAGE.

Letters Patent No. 97.664, dated December 7,1869. v

I MPRovED Macmiyn ron GRINDING VMarennes.

` The Schedule referred to :in these Letters Patent and making part of the same Be it known that I," CLARK MARSH, of Bridgeport, inthe county of. Fairlield, 'and Sta-teef Connecticut,l have made an-invention of-ceitain ynew and useful Improvements lin Machinesf for Grinding Needles, the same-being applicable, also, to other purposes; and

that the following is afull, clear, and exact descrip# tion and speciiicatiouofwthe same.

' The object of my inventionl is to reduce sewing-machine necdlesand similar articlesto acertain size and form, by a; grindingoperation, clected automatically;

u and i My invention consists lof certain combinations of mechanical `in strumentalities, as .particularly specifi ed iuth'ecla'ims at tbe'closeof` this specification.

The principal instrunientalities which are thus comi First, a rotating grinder, Vwhich is, by preference, -a Yulceiemelrfwhek-- y "Scco'nd,.a,reciprocating .carriage forsaid grinder, 'constructed to move the same atright angles to its axis of rotation, or in the plane in which the grinder rotates;

ThinLa 'turningdrolden to hold the article to be grounihandto turn'it while in contact with-the rotat- K ing grinder. v

Fourth,A a 'holderfcan'iaga constructed :to `move the tnrninglholder tangentially `to the rotatingfgrinder, so

I that saidalrticle, while `turning on its axis, is caused to advance endwise against and in contact with the i surface of the grinder, in `the direction, orthereabout, `ci' a tangent tothe circular periphery oflthe grinder. liiitlr; a're'st, acting autagonistically to the rotating grinderfso as to prevent the article from swerving(ra i ially tothe grinderijom the line of direction in which itis advanced. This rest, by preference, consists cfa.

rotating vulcaniteemery-wheel,mounted upon 'a reciprocating carriage, so ,that the article is ground at opl posite sides of its axis simultaneously, and each grinder y acts las -rest to4 prevent the swerving of the article iopposite grinder.

l Sixthga coutrolIingnnechanism, (consisting, byulpref- .ciencia ot' a patternyplate,andorre ormore springs,)

which determines -tltelateral ,distance of. the grinder, or 'the resi', or ot" botlnfrom the Aplancia which the article is advanced-and" thereby determines the extent towhich the article `isrrcdued by tlicoperation of the machine,r mid,.consequcntl y,' the ultimate' shape of the article. t 'r e y d Seventh., traversing-mechanism, by whose actionthe article, while taining-on its axis and advanced endwise past the rotating. grinder, is caused to traverse the breadth :said grinder, so that the wcarpf the latter is equalized,in. part or in whole, and different belts of its periphery are caused to operate successively upon the article. fe bined by me will appear fully from the following de scription of a machine which embodies my invention, and which is represented. in thc accompanying drawingsc Figure 1 representing a plan of said machine, and

Figure 2, a plan of thcsame, with' the table and the parts above it removed.

Figure 3 represents a vertical section ot' thc' niachiiie through the axis of the'iieedle-holder;

Figures 4, 5, and 6,' represent views of detached parts of the machine;

Figure 7 represents anenlarged view of a needleblank; and

Figure 8 represents a similar viewof a needle which hasheen reduced to the; requiredformby the operation of the machine. V

The said machine is constructed with tworotating jgrinders, AV A,'eacl1 of which acts as a rcst, to prevent the needle-.blank m from swerving radially7 from the other,"the two grinders being so arranged, relatively to theineedle-holder B and its carriage U, that l the ncedle-blank m is advanced, in the direction ofthe dotted line mY air/,between the circular peripheries of the two grinders, and tangentiallyto said peripheries.

Each grinder is mounted upon an upright arbor or mandrel, b, whichjis fitted to turn ixrhcariugs formedV vupon the grinder-carriage D, the lower bearing being a'. stop to hold the mandrel from moving endwise.'

Each grinder-arbor is iitted with a whorl,'c, to which 4the ro'und belt d is applied, 'by which the grinderis caused torcvolve rapidly-a speed of one thousand revolutions per minute, for a grinder `of three inches in diameter, being found well suited to thev production of' the desired effect. v Each grinder-carriage D is ittcdto move crosswise to the line nt', in which'the needle is ladvancedin guides or ways a a, constructed upon the frame E of' the machine, the waysand the base of the grindercairiagc being, by preference, of dovetail construction,

so as Yto prevent the carriage from rocking.

Theturning-holder B, by which the needle-blank m is held and 'caused to turn upon ifs'axiaisconstructed to revolve vinbearings c e, formed at theupper end of the holder-'carriage standard tj, andns fitted withv a whorl,"c, to which the round belt which imp'artsln'i'o-Ll tion to the turning-holder is a-pplied.- l

This belt receives its motion from a revolving drum -cle to be ground. ,Y

E, secured to a shaft, 'G, beneath the tableV of theV The said head is slotted at one. side, and a lever clamping-jaw, g, is pivoted inthe slot. The inner side of the outer end of this jaw, and the adjacent inner side of the head, are the counterpart of the needleblank, so as to centre it when itis clamped in the holder.

The inner end of the clamping-jaw is wedge-formed, and is operated upon by a sliding piston, n, whose front *cud is wedge-formed, to act upon the clamping-jaw, and whose rear end is operated upon by a screw, h, which, when turned, forces the piston forward in the holder, and compels the clamping-jaw g to gripe the blank firmly, so that it is compelled to turn with the holder.

The holder-carriage O, from which the standard f projects, is constructed to slide longitudinallyin ways secured to the frame E of the machine, the bed i of the said carriage and the ways 7' j being constructed, by preference-,of dovetailed form, so as to bold the carriage from rising as it is moved.

rEhe ways jj, that guide this holder-carriage in its movement, extend parallel with the axial line of the holder B and of the blank containedtherein, so that the holder is caused to move endwise, and the'blank is moved longitudinally to and in contact with the peripheries of the grinders A A', in the direction of Jtheir tangents.

'Iheholder-carriage is caused to move'in the required direction by means of a iced-screw, M, whose threads operate upon a segment of a nut, I, secured to the under side of said carriage.

This feed-screw is fitted to turn in suitable bearings, secured to=tl1e frame of the machine, and its head has a worm-wheel, J, secured toit, which is caused to turn by means of a worm or endless screw, N, the said worm being driven from the driving-shaft O by means of the belt d* and belt-pulleys c2 ci.

-Asjthe holder-carriage causestheholder to move along, it is expedient 'that the belt dl, which'dn'ves the holder, should also b e carried progressivelyV along tbe drum F. j To this end, it is engaged within the jaws of a traverser, K, which is connected with the holder-carriage, and is moved with it.

In order to reduce friction, the traverser is fitted with a grooved iiiction-wheel, fr.

In order that the position of the two grinders, A A, may be determined during the operation of the machine, so as to reduce the article to the required size and form, a pattern-plate, L L, is provided, and springs P are also provided, to force the grinder-carriages toward said pattern-plate with a yielding pressure.

'Ihe pattern-plate L L is secured to the bed of the holder-carriage C, so as to be moved by it between the grindercarriages, and a bearing, Q, is secured to the adjacent bed of each grinder-carriage D, to bear against the adjacent edge of the pattern-plate, and the said bearing is constantly kept in contact with the edge of the pattern-plate by the operation ofthe spring P upon the grinder-carriage. Hence, a depression in the edge of the pattern-plate permits the spring to move the grinder-carriage and its grinder nearer to the axial line of the blankcarried by the holder B, and a projection of the edge of the said-plate, operating through the bearing Q, moves the grinder-carriage and grinder further from the axial line o t' said blank, the spring I permitting such movement by yielding to the pressure; In the former case, the surface of the blank is groundaway to a greater extent, while in the latter' it is less reduced, and consequently left of larger s ize.

rIhe longitudinal form or the edges of the patternplate tlms determines the resulting form and size of the article, and that part of the lengt-h of said edge which operates upon the bearing Q of the grindercarriage,while the needle-blank is passing the periphery of the grinder, or from s to -s, fig.V 6, is madeof the same profile as the longitudinal profile of thencedle tovbe produced. l

The part of said edge which passes* by the bearing Q of the grinder-carriage, before the needle-point arrives opposite the centre of the grinder, orfroms to s2, fig. G, maybe parallel with the linem on', in which the needle is advanced, but it is made by preference to diverge from that line, as represented at iig. 6,'so that the grinders, or the grinder' and rest, in case a non-grinding rest be used in place of one ofthe grinders, are kept apart until the needle-point is to bc ground, thereby avoiding the risk of injuring each other, and facilitating the introduction and removal of tliwe needle-blank.

The pattern-plate L L is made removable from the machine, so that in case articles of different longitudinal form are to be ground in the same machine, a pattern-plate of the proper form may be applied to it.

The bearings Q also are made adjustable upon their carriages, D D, and a screw, t, lis applied to each, so

as to adjust its position to suit;A the diameter of the grinder, which is secured to the mandrel. The hearing also may be moved back upon the grinderlarriage, as the diameter of the grinder-is reduced by wear.

1n order that the needle-blank,v\vhile turning on its longitudinal axis, and moved endwise past thegrinders, may be caused totraverse. their breadth,` the standard 'f is not secured immovably to the holder carriage-bed t', but is constructed to slide-vertically in a dovetail groove, formed in the upright stock l. Moreover', the lower end of the standard f is provided with an axle-tree, n, whose arms project laterally over inclined tracks e r, secured to the frame of the machine, and are iitted with wheels w, which traverse said tracks as the holder-carriage is moved forward. Hence, when the holder-carriage moves forward, the wheels w w, traversing' said tracks, cause the revolving holder to rise and move the blank m across the face of the grinder A, thus applying it to successive belts thereof. l

The driving-belt d1, which imparts motion to the revolving holder B, is permitted to accommodate it. self to this change of position of the holder, by consti'ueting'the shank x, of the belt-traverser K, as a spring, which permits the friction-wheel fr to act as a tightening-pulley, yielding as the revolving holder rises, and taking up the slack of the belt when the revolving holder descends, during the drawing back oi the holder-carriage. 'i y v In order that-the longitudinal movement of the article may be stopped as soon as it is reduced to the required extent of its length, the bearing?, which supports the head of the feed-screw M, is connected with 'the frame of the machine by pivots z, one at each side, upon which the bearing y, andthe feedscrew within it, can vibrate longitudinally', while the other bearing, a', is formed in a lever, R, which can be turned down to depress the feed-screw and disengage its threads fromthe nut-segment I; Moreover, a catch or bolt,- .8, is arranged to slide in a socket of the frame E, crosswise' to the plane of movement of the bearing-lever-R, 'so that when said lever is raised sutliciently .to engage the feed-screw M with the'nut-segment'L-the end of the bolt S can -be shot into arecess'formcd in the inner face of the lever, to maintain the'engagement of the feed-screw.

Then the machine` is iu operation, the feed-movement of the' holder-carriage C, and of article carried upon itto the grinders, will continue so long as the boltS maintains itsengagement with the bearing-r lever.

In order that thefeed-movement may be stopped when the article has been -.advanced to the required extent, the bolt S is provi'ded with a stud, 1:,tbatpromeans Vof' a screw, X.

jectsgupward within the range of movement of an arm,"T, which, is secpred to and moves with the holder-carnage, so that said arm, in its movement, mayaet upon the stud` p, anddisengage the bolt S ,from the bearing-lever, whereupon the weight of the feed-screw and lever causes the feed-screw to drop and disengage from the nut-segment, and the advanc- 'ing movement of the articley is stopped.

Thevholdeicarriagemay'then he drawn back, either V `by hand or by means f a weight operatingv through a cord extended over apulley. The reduced blank may be-removed, and a newfone clamped i11its-,place in the rotating holder.

The bearing-lever R may th'en be raised, to throw the feed-Screw into engagement with the nut, and the operations of the machine w ill be repeated.

In order that the bearing-lever may be readily raised, it is provided with a handle, q and in order that'the bolt S may engage automatically with the lever, as soon as the latter is raised, a spring, a', is provided, to push the bolt endwise toward the lever.v

In order that the point at which the feed-movementof the carriage is to stop, may be adjustedwith V.nicety, the stop-arm Tis securedto the holder-carliage by means of screw-bolts e e', whose stems pass thrdngh slots iu the shank of the arm, and the liead,

g', of thearm, is constructed of a wedge-form; hence, when thesaid bolts je e" are "slacked, the arm maybe slid4 crosswise to theV carriage, so as to place a more or less 4protuberant part ofthe head opposite the stud of the holt S, and thus disengage that holt sooner i or later fromthe bearingflever,

The lateral adjustment of the pattermplate L L niso is provided ,for,',so that .it maybe set to deter-A mine thereduetion of `articlesofl different diameters, or to compensate the Wear of ,the grinders, as required. 'lo this lend itis constructed of two parts, L and L, whosenner edges areinclined, and are separated by ar. wedger1I,.which..can be moved longitudinally by This wedge traverses a nut, `w', projecting' upward from the wedge4 U, and the ends of the screw are fitted, to turn in suitablefbearings, .Y Y, secured Vto the carriage O.

, The head of the screw made square, soft-hat it.` may be readily turned by means of a wrench. The wedge U is made byprcference thicker than the `members of the pattem-plate, 'and .the'portions of its thickness above thesaid members are extended laterally, jso as to overlapthemtand hold-them down tothe bed of the holder ar'ra'ge, r j

j The various belts, dd i d? al, which imp art ymotion to the rotating membersof the 1nachine,reccive their, motion' from the driving-shait 50, vwhich is fitted with a pulley for each belt, ande-also with a driving-pulley, toreceive the beltlfroi'n the linefshafting of the man- -ufactory in'ivhich )the machine is used.

Havingvthus described a machine embodying my invention,` in whatl. deem to be the best form known to me, I`mayst`at'c thatjmy invention maybe lcarried x into effect b chine.

Thus, for example, the holder-carriage may be dispensed with, so that the holdei; retainsA its longitudinal position upon the frame of the machine; and vin grinder and rest may be mounted upon a second 'car- 1 'iage, which will move them along the article toward the turning-holder. 4In this case, the grinder and rest will be advanced in the direction of a tangent to the periphery of the griudenalong the article, instead of the article being advanced, in the same way, along the grinder, and the operation of the combination upon the article will be substantially the same as in the machine represented.

Agaim the grinder may be disconnected from its carri-age, and in placeof that carriage, the holder-car-v riage and rest may bc mounted upon a carriage -that willmovefthem crosswise to the advancing movement of the article, toward the .periphery of the grinder. The modified machine in this case will have the same number of instrumentalities operating in combination, substantially as the corresponding instrurnentalities in the machine I have described, and Y represented in the drawings.

What I claim as my invention, and by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination and arrangement of the following instrumentalit-ies, viz,'the rotating grinder, the grinder-carriage, the turning-holder, the-holdercarriage moving in the ,direction of a tangent of the circular periphery of the grinder, the rest, and controlling mechanism, all constructed vto operate substantially as before set forth.

2. TheA combination of the rotating grinder, the grinder-carriage, the turning-holder, the holder-carriage, moving in the direction cfa tangent of the circular periphery of'v the grinder, the rest and stopmechanisrp, the whole constructed to operate substanti ally as before set fort-h. f 13. Thev combination of the rotating grinder, the grinder-carriage, the turning-holder, the holdexicarriage moving in the direct-ion of a'tangent of the circular periphery of the grinder, the rest, and the travelsing-mechanism, the whole constructed to operate .substantially as before set forth.

4'. Ihe combination, of the turning-holder andthe holder-carriage, with a pattern-plate, constructed so as to be adjusted laterally, substautially'as` before set forth. i

5. The combination of the rotating grinder and the griuder-cairiage, with an adjust-.iblegbearing for; the pattern-plate, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereto set my hand, this 27 th day of May, A. D. 1869.

` CLARK MARSH.

Witnesses FRANCIS Ivns, y W. E. BARNETT.

y modifying the construction 'of the ma." i

piace of the liolderfcarrage, the carriages of thc desire to secure 

